CPAC's big winners — and losers

There was one clear superstar at the Conservative Political Action Conference: Rand Paul.

The Kentucky senator roared into the event with big momentum from his filibuster on drones and followed up with a speech that seemed to broaden his support beyond the libertarian set. “Stand with Rand” was the event’s unofficial slogan, and attendees did so by making him the winner of the presidential straw poll.

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Marco Rubio's CPAC 2013 speech

Scott Walker's CPAC 2013 speech

Rand Paul wins straw poll

But how did the other big-name Republicans fare?

After three days and 70-plus speeches, here is POLITICO’s look at who else thrived at one of the most important events on the conservative calendar — and who flopped. The list is based on crowd reaction, a few dozen conversations with conference-goers, and buzz on Twitter.

WINNERS:

Marco Rubio

The Florida senator, who finished a close second in the straw poll, made the most of his back-to-back appearance with Paul on Friday. While Paul called for major change, Rubio stressed that the party’s principles remain sound. He pleased social conservatives by highlighting his support for traditional marriage and opposition to abortion. He came across as self-effacing with jokes about the gulp of water he took during his State of the Union response.

CPAC is where Rubio stepped onto the national stage in 2010, when he was locked in a primary fight with then-Republican Gov. Charlie Crist. In 2012, Rubio won the event’s straw poll for vice president.

What’s key for him is that many activists still see him as an outsider, even though he’s been in D.C. for two years now and plans to move his family here. Pollster Whit Ayres called Rubio “the RGIII of politics” – a reference to star Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Rubio did not broach his top priority right now: an immigration framework that includes a pathway to citizenship. Many CPAC attendees view that as amnesty, and it was clear the all-but-certain 2016 candidate wanted to avoid a Sister Souljah moment.

Chris Christie

Not getting invited to CPAC proved to be a blessing in disguise for the New Jersey governor. If he’d been invited, he might have taken flak for turning down the offer — or come and been booed.

Instead, the snub puts helpful distance between Christie and the national GOP in a state Barack Obama just carried by 17 points. He is likely to coast to an easy reelection this November, and he will have plenty of time before 2016 to re-ingratiate himself with conservatives frustrated by his embrace of the president after Hurricane Sandy.

The cold shoulder made him a sympathetic figure. Several very conservative attendees grumbled that Donald Trump got invited but Christie did not. He came in fourth in the straw poll with 7 percent, just below Rick Santorum’s 8 percent.

Some boosters even handed out fliers to attendees touting “The Christie Record,” crediting him with putting the Garden State’s fiscal house in order by cutting spending and capping property taxes.

Christie also probably had a more fun weekend than other 2016 contenders: he spent Saturday night watching college basketball at the Big East Tournament.

Scott Walker

The Wisconsin governor got an early Saturday time slot at a conference famous for its late-night parties. But he still got a huge, enthusiastic response.

While other purple state governors such as Virginia’s Bob McDonnell weren’t invited to CPAC, Walker’s presence was a sign that he’s acceptable to the establishment and popular with the grassroots. He finished sixth in the straw poll, with 6 percent.

Walker has a record of getting things done in a Democratic state: he took on Big Labor and won, then beat back a recall attempt. Both were crowd-pleasers.